Bilateral Mastectomy

Posted on February 12, 2020 by Cliff

I had to look up the meaning, and when I messaged my friend to tell her that if she wanted me to document this journey that had been forced upon her, I’d be more than happy to do so. She said thanks, and a couple of weeks later reached out with an idea that came to fruition this past weekend.
Noni has been in Woman as Art before and done boudoir, but this was the first time she brought her whole family, and friends, and clippers, and scissors.
In fact it was the first time I’ve photographed anyone getting their head shaved before starting chemo.

The process was later something that she described as ‘therapeutic for all of us’ and accomplished something that she wanted – to be in control of some part of the process. She said, “None of this was anything we have control of. I love that this is one thing I can do on my own terms and not be “the victim”. I guess it just kind of feels like if I can do this on my own terms then I’m almost taking the control back in a way.”

She entered my studio a fighter and left even more so.

There is No Flaw in You

Posted on July 22, 2018 by Cliff

In the client’s own words:
Today, a man stared at me while breastfeeding.
My baby and boob were covered. At 8 months to be covered without so much as a flailing arm is a rarity.
Nevertheless the staring man confidentially said, while never breaking his stare, he confidentially said; “Breastfeeding and c-sections are disgusting. Such a pity for a beautiful woman to willingly destroy her body.” He continued to go on about how hideous both breast and scared tummies are.

I debated posting this, but I think a lot of times we see things on social media and casually think this isn’t an issue close to home, because we’ve not experienced it firsthand.
I was told it would be hard to find a man to love me, because my body was wrecked after I found myself a single mom at seventeen.
This is life.
My body has carried three beautiful babies.
Do not let selfish men or a backward world tell you that the process and proof of life is not beautiful.
We are not meant to be ageless and without cracks.”You are altogether beautiful, my darling; there is no flaw in you.”-Song of Solomon 4:7

When you are born to help others

Posted on May 17, 2018 by Cliff

“Don’t forget to pause and nourish yourself a bit along the way. When you’re born to help others sometimes you forget to help yourself.”
― Paula Heller Garland

Sometimes that pause to nourish is so, difficult to take. Women are born to give, after all.

They do bring life into the world, after all.

Their nurturing traits are part of their DNA.

And for those who help others professionally, ‘physician heal thyself’ can be harsh words to hear.

Much love to my anonymous model, a professional helper of people and mother, and nurturer.

She is Strength

Posted on February 8, 2018 by Cliff

Yes… she knows of pain, but she is strength. Her heart knows no other way.
S. R. Asher

My Whole World

Posted on September 3, 2017 by Cliff

Had I not created my whole world, I would certainly have died in other people’s.
-Anais Nin

Thanks to the beautiful new mom Alyssa for making two trips to the studio to make this profound statement on the beauty of motherhood possible.

The Most Adventurous Journey

Posted on August 25, 2017 by Cliff

“The most adventurous journey to embark on; is the journey to yourself, the most exciting thing to discover; is who you really are, the most treasured pieces that you can find; are all the pieces of you, the most special portrait you can recognize; is the portrait of your soul.”
― C. JoyBell C.

Make Peace

Posted on May 19, 2017 by Cliff

your body
is not a battleground.
make peace
with its peaks
and valleys.
for what are you,
if not love
encased in flesh?

-unknown

Choosing to Be Vulnerable

Posted on March 24, 2017 by Cliff

“Wanting to be someone else is a waste of the person you are.”
― Marilyn Monroe
We all seem to get stuck in things that we believe are true. Especially when it comes to our own self. That’s why I tell clients to “be open to the experience that could change you.”
A client wrote after her session recently, “There is something about choosing to be vulnerable, about seeing yourself from a different perspective and trusting in something unknown that is both powerful and therapeutic.”Because realizing who you are is a mind-blowing experience, compared to spending your life wanting to be someone else.

Taking Charge

Posted on March 22, 2017 by Cliff

There’s been a real movement recently to ‘embrace’ who you are, and that may come from a gradual acceptance, or one decision to do so.
This is a story about one of those decisions.This particular client made such a decision – to have breast reduction surgery.Because, I feel, ‘embracing’ who you are doesn’t have to be about settling for what you have, it’s about being empowered to take charge. To understand that there are risks and consequences for making the decision and for following through with it. And being prepared to live with the consequences.I was not aware that this particular model had reduction surgery until we spoke of it during the session, and she told me that she didn’t really felt like she ‘embraced’ her body – I’d add that she did empower herself to make her own decision, and has since accepted the scars that came as a result of it. “And I would do it again,” she added. “Best decision I ever made for myself.”

Best of…

Posted on February 22, 2017 by Cliff

Much of what I do in my photo studio is what’s commonly called boudoir, but frequently those clients will request something more artistic, based on what they’ve seen on this website. These are a collection of images that my clients and myself worked together to create for Valentine’s Day. Many of my clients are creating something that will be a gift for a significant other, but more and more are creating something to have, just for themselves.

img_2034w img_2037w img_9891w

These images appear here due to the gracious permission of the clients who helped me create them.

Woman as Art

"Be open to the experience that could change you."

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